Media Relations
by IWA Standing Committee on Public Relations 
 
Preface
Freshwater is key to sustainable development. Without adequate water supply food production declines, human health fails, the natural environment suffers and economic development is limited. Increasing population and increasing standards of living drive demand ever higher for drinking water, for irrigation of crops and for process water for industry. As these sectors take more water, less water is available for the natural environment. The World Bank estimates that some one billion people do not have adequate access to freshwater and two billion are denied adequate sanitation. So a critical challenge for society is to address these issues and strike the balance in the provision of future water services.

Water is the key issue and the International Water Services Association and the International Association on Water Quality are organisations devoted to playing their part in the provision of sustainable water and sanitation. Both IAWQ and IWSA are international professional associations, the former being founded in 1965 and the latter in 1947. IAWQ has sought to advance the science and practice of water treatment and water quality management and IWSA has been dedicated to advancing management, good practice and technology for the water services industry. Both organisations have high reputations in the international water supply and waste water sector and are already committed to merging their interests into a new organisation, The International Water Association, by 1999.

Solving today's and tomorrow's water problems requires the dedication and professional expertise of all the members of our organisations, but the message that freshwater is key to sustainable development also needs to be carried outside our organisations. Communication, and the work of communication specialists within water services, has a vital role to play in advocacy and awareness raising. We, therefore, commend this document as a good practical guide on media relations which should be of use to every manager within water services organisations. The booklet is also evidence of our two organisations working together and moving towards integration. A move that recognises that only by working together is it possible to come up with solutions for the future.

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